Envelope and stamp moistener



Feb. 2-, 1926. 1,571,180

R. ASTLEY ENVELOPE Ann S'IIAMP uo rsuua v v l Filed Jan. 22, 1923 3 Shuts-Sheet 1 I INVEIJTUF Robert" Asilc I Z L ATTY.

Feb. 2 1926. 1,571,180

R. ASTLEY Enyamrz nn sivmr mor'snmm' Filed Jan. 22, 1923 3 sheath-shin a if. J.

l I l 2 I III 1 ATTY,

IHVE'PT DR Roberf As/ley .1

Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

[UNITED TATE$ PATENT QCFEICZE.

ROBERT ASTLEY, F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ENVELOPE Ann STAMP MbIsTEnER.

Application filed Januar 22; 1923. Serial No. 614,139.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I,:.-RoBEnT As'rLnY, a citizen Oflthe United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of I Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefullmprovenients in Envelope and StampvMoisteners ofwhich the following isa specification. r 1

Tliisinvention relates to envelope moistennis, andparticularly to a hand machine which can be made and sold ata nominal price andwvithin commercial. limitations. My inventioncontemplates an. envelope inoistener which'will permit the natural and ordinary motions of speedily inoistening and sealing the envelopes to be followed.

According to my invention the water supply fountain is t-iltably mounted upon the guide frame for sliding travel relative to the 90 envelopes which are arranged in a stack upon the moistener table or base with the guinined faces of their flaps uppermost. l/Vhen the moistener is in use the fountain is disposed perpendicularly above the envelope stack so as to saturate the moistener wick which'is attached to the delivery nozzle of the fountain and restsupon the flap of the uppermost envelope in the stack. The Water fountain and nozzle descends by gravity as the height of the envelope stack is reduced, the weight of the filled fountain and nozzle bearing down upon the flaps of the envelope permitting the envelopes to be withdrawn past the moistener wick with a wiping action effective to distribute across the entire gummed area of the flap an even flow of the water contained in the wick. As the envelopes are successively withdrawn from be neath the delivery nozzle with a wiping action of their flaps against said inoistener wick. they are turned over with a natural motion of the fingers and wrist, and pressed against the desk or other surface so as to cause the flaps to adhere to the backs of the envelopes. This is the natural and ordinary motion ofsealing an envelope and my invention does not require it to be modified. lVhen the device is not in use the tilting moistener automatically tips back out of the vertical position so that the water contained in the delivery nozzle will be drained back into the supply cup.

In starting the operation of sealing, the fountain is first filled with water and lifted to the upper end of its guide rods where it is automatically held latched in-a slightly rearwardly tilted position until the envelopes are stacked upon the supporting table tor base formoistening. The carrier for said: fountain is thentilted from its rearwardly inclined latchedposition to a perpendicular unlatchecl position in whichit is held-up by the bearing of its delivery nozzle upon the uppermost flap of the staclgof envelopes. As eachenvelope vis moistened and withdrawn ;the moistening device descendsby gravity until the last envelope in the-stack is moistened, at which. moment the moistening device automatically. tilts backwardly, thereby draining ,back into thesupply cup the water contained in the delivery nozzle throu-gh'the connecting feed pipe,

,The construction and operation of a satisfactory embodiment ofmy inventionwill bemore fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanyin drawings, in which: J i y 7 Fig. 1 isa side elevation of an envelope moistener in accordance with my invention and showing the inoperative position of-the device wherein the water, fountain is tilted rearwardly and latched atthe upper end of the guide frame. a

Fig. 2 isa vertical section thereof and showing the operative position ofthedevice wherein the water fountain has. been tilted forwardly into perpendicular,position with its moistener wick resting upon the uppermost flap of the stack of envelopes.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, and

a Fig. l is a partial side elevation showing the position of the parts after withdrawal of the last envelope in the stack.

1 have indicated at A the top of a desk or other surface upon which my inoistener device is adapted to "rest, and at 1 the supporting feet for the table frame F. The feet 1. are spaced apart from each other and extend longitudinally of the frame F. All feet-terminate in the same horizontal plane 100 so that the frame F is supported evenly upon the surface A.

Secured to said frame and forwardly thereof is an envelope supporting base or table 2 comprising a connecting top plate 105 and spaced vertically disposed supporting legs 3 at the front and rear edges of said plate, the le at the rear edge being shorter than that at the front edge so that the plate slcpesslightly from front to rear. At its 110 rear edge, the plate is provided with a longitudinally extending bead 4 against which the fold of the lowermost envelopes in the stack of envelopes E is adapted to bear whereby to gauge the stack upon the table 2.

Set through the legs 3 transversely thereof, are sleeves 5 within which slide the horizontally extended arms 6 of a U-shaped guide frame 7, said guide frame being bent at right angles upon itself at a suitable distance from the rear edge of the table 2 and extending vertically upwardly beyond said bend. Between their ends the rigid sleeves 5 are longitudinally slotted as indicated at 8 and the horizontal arms 6 of the guide frame 7 carry set screws 9 disposed within said slots 8 for l10ldll1g the in and out adjustment of the guide frame relative to the envelope supporting table 2.

Beyond the rear edge of the table 2 the arms 6 support a slide carriage 10 upon which is mounted a pair of spaced vertically disposed envelope flap supporting arms 11 between which the delivery nozzle 12 of the moistening device may partially descend without touching. The bearing ends of the slide 10 are longitudinally slotted as indicated at 13, Fig. 3, to receive set screws 14 carried by the arms 6 and holding the adjustment of said slide 10 relative to the delivery nozzle 12 above.

Slidably mounted upon the vertical arms of the U-shaped guide frame 7 is a slide carriage 15 composed of a pair of vertically disposed side strips 16 and a connecting strip 17 connecting the lower ends of said side strips. The top and bottom ends of the side strips 16 are bent outwardly upon themselves in such a manner as to permit of a rounded slot being made in each of said ends to conform with the guide rods 7 thus allowing said slide carriage to slide between said guide rods. The side strips 16 are provided at their upper ends with bayonet slots 18 within which are entered studs 19 projecting horizontally from a tilting carrier 20 for the water fountain 21. The lower ends of said side strips 16 are provided with vertical slots 22 having at their upper ends jogs 23 and the fountain carrier 20 is provided at its lower end with studs 24 disposed in said slots 22.

The fountain carrier 20 is formed to it the sides and rear face of the water fountain 21 and beneath said fountain the carrier 20 supports a water cup 25 into which the fountain 21 delivers from above the water which it is intended to contain by allowing the water to flow beneath a normally unseated valve 38 attached to a guiding pin 39 mounted within the cup 25 (F 2). The valve 38 is held in position on inside of neck of fountain 21 by means of bracket 38 through which guiding pin 39 operates. To prevent valve from dropping within the fountain chamber when filling fountain in an upright position with water, the guiding pin 39 is flattened or blunted as indicated at 39 so as not to pass through the slots in bracket 38. When the fountain is filled with water it is inverted and placed in proper position in carrier 20, the flattened end 39 of guiding pin 39 resting upon the floor of cup 25, thereby raising valve 38 to allow free flow of the Water from fountain 21 to cup 25. Water from cup 25 is delivered to the delivery nozzle 12 along a horizontal feed pipe 26 connecting said cup and delivery nozzle.

The delivery nozzle 12 extends as a slightly ii-shaped discharge member conforming generally to the margin of the envelope flap and adapted to rest upon the gummed edge of said flap. Said nozzle is open along one edge to receive a moistening wick 27 and is provided at said opening with a snap cover 28 whereby the moistening wick may be removed and renewed whenever desired.

The base of the fountain carrier 20 is extended forwardly as shown at 29, Fig. 2, to provide a supporting table upon which. rests an auxiliary moistening wick 30 whereby postage stamps, for example, may be moistened. The rear end of this auxiliary moistening wick is disposed in the water contained in cup 25.

Connecting the vertical arms of the U shaped guide frame 7 is a cross arm 31 which is provided with a rearwardly extending horizontal plate 32 having a longitudinal slot within which is adjustably clamped by the set screw 34 a horizontally adjustable latch piece 35 having a depending spring latch end 35 adapted to engage beneath a latching shoulder 37 at the rear upper edge of the fountain carrier 20.

In use, the fountain 21 is filled with water and inserted within its sliding carrier 20 in the inverted position shown in the drawings whereby to discharge by gravity into cup 25. The neck of fountain 21 enters the cup 25 and its discharge is regulated by the level of the water in the cup 25.

Preparatory to using, the parts are disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1. wherein the shoulder 37 is engaged and held up by the spring latch In this position the studs 24- are at the l'iottoins of the slots and the studs 19 are at the in the rear ends of the bayonet slots 18. The delivery nozzle 12 is therefore tilted up so as to drain back into the cup 25.

In starting the moistening operation, a stack of envelopes is placed on table 2, their flaps properly arranged gumincd sides uppermost, and the fountain carrier 20 is then rocked forwardly to disengage latching flange 37 from spring latch 35. at the same time automatically releasing its studs 19 from the jogs at the rearends of the bayonet slots 18 and bringing them into the straight portions at the upper ends of said slots, also bringing studs 24 to the upper ends of slots 22 thus causing the moistening device, consisting of fountain 21, fountain tilting carrier 20 and slide carriage 15, to be held in perpendicular position relative to guide frame 7 with feed pipe 26 in horizontal position to allow free flow of water from cup 25 to nozzle 12.

The moistening device then gravitates until the delivery nozzle 12 and moistening wick 27 rest upon the uppermost flap of the stack of envelopes E. As the envelopes are withdrawn the moistening device continues to descend by gravity. Then the last envelope at the bottom of the stack is in turn removed from beneath the delivery nozzle 12 as shown in Fig. 1, the extreme lower edges of the side strips 16 of slide carriage 15 rest upon the upper edges of the supporting foot lat the rear of guideframe 7. gravity the carrier 20 holding fountain 21 continues to lower itself, being guided by the studs 24 lowering themselves in slots 22,

and by the studs 19 traveling rearwardly to thejogs in the lower ends of bayonet slots 18, causing themoistening device to be tilted backwardly in such a manner as to raise the delivery nozzle 12 to an elevated position above the water level maintained in cup 25. The water in delivery nozzle 12 is thus drained back through pipe 26 intocup 25 thereby preventing the moistener wick 27 from securing any further supply of water. The moistening device may remain in this natural rest position until it is desired to repeat the process of moisteningand sealing another stackof envelopes, asabove described. While in this natural rest position, the delivery nozzle remains in its relative position close to but not touching the flap supporting arms 11.

Provision is made for the preliminary and quick moistening of wick 27 in delivery nozzle 12 before commencing the operation of moistening a stack of envelopes. This is. accomplished by allowing the moistening device to remain at its natural rest position (shown inlfig. 4:) the lower extreme of guide frame "4" after the last envelope of the stack is withdrawn. 'lhe tilting carrier 20 is raised within the slide carriage 15, said slide carriage still resting upon the upper edge of the rearmost supporting foot 1 so that the studs 19 3. 1? raised to the upper jogs of the bayonet slot 18, and the studs 24; are raised to the upper ends ofslots 22 and pushed into therearwardly extending jogs 23 of slots 22. The weight of the moistening-device is then supported by the studs 24. estingoathe lower plane of:jogs 23. The. forwardly tilted position thus given. the moistening device naturally causes thewater 22, by reason of the delivery nozzle 12 naturally following the course of the envelope as it is being withdrawn.

As envelopeis withdrawn from beneath the delivery nozzle, the glued area of its flap is wiped against the moistening wick 27 of said delivery nozzle so that the water is applied uniformly throughout the entire gummed surface. The envelope when completely withdrawn is then. turned upon itself and laid face up upon the desk with its moist.

ened fiapdisposed against the back of the'envelope so that the flap is caused to adhere to the envelope by simply momentarily pressing the hand upon the face of the last removed envelope, and the weight of the sue-i ceeding moistened envelopes when stacked will causeeach'envelope to further and completely seal. itself.

The structure herein shown well illustrates the principles of my invention and is' convenient and satisfactory but is not to be understood as indicating limitation in my in vention beyond the definite terms of the appended claims.

What I therefore claimand desire to sesure by Letters Patent is i 1. In an. envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with tlieir flaps in extended position,,a normally rearwardlytilted flap moistening device disposed above and operative on top of said flaps so as to be supported thereby, a water feed for said moistening device, means whereby said feed may be tiltedfinto upright position when the moistener is elevated above the envelope stack, and means whereby said feed may be tilted back when said moistener has passed the planeof the envelope support.

2. In an envelope moistener, ,means for supporting a stack of envelopes withtheir flaps in extendedposition, a normally rearwardlyf tilted gravitating, flap noistening devicedisposed above and o perative on top of said flaps so as to be supported thereby and tolautomatically lower as the height of the stack is reduced by withdrawal of the moistened envelopes, a superposed waterfeed for said moistening device, means whereby said feed may be tilted into upright position when the moistener is elevated above the envelope stack, and means whereby said feed may be tilted. back when said nioistenerlhas passed the plane of the envelope support.

,3. In an. envelope moistenen aninclined table for supporting a stackp'f envelopes with their flaps in extended position, a flap moistening device, a support for slidably mounting said device on said flaps so as to be supported thereby, a water feed for said moistcning device, means whereby said "feed may be tilted into upright position when the moistener is elevated above the envelope stack, and means whereby said feed may be tilted back when said moistener has passed the plane ot the envelope support.

4. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps in extended position, a gravity operated flap moistening device, means for slidably supporting said device on top of the uppermost envelope flap so as to be supported thereby, a water feed for said moistening device, means whereby said feed may be tilted into upright position when the moistener is elevated above the envelope stack, and means whereby said feed may be tilted back when said moistener has passed the plane of the envelope support.

5. In an envelope moistener, an inclined envelope table and a stop thereon adapted to support, a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a guideway, a carriage vertically reciprocable on said guideway, a reservoir and a moistening device supported on said carriage, a feed connection from said reservoir to said moistening device etlective only when the moistening device is in operative position, and means whereby said moistening device may be tilted to drain it back into said reservoir when said carriage has passed the plane of the envelope support. 6. 111 an envelope moistener, an inclined envelope table and a stop thereon adapted to support a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a guideway adjustable horizontally relative to said support, a carriage vertically reciprocabl on said guideway, a reservoir and a moistening device supported on said carriage, a feed connection from said reservoir to said moistening device effective only when the moistening device is in operative position, and means whereby said moistening device may be tilted to drain it back into said reservoir when said carriage has passed the plane of the envelope support.

7. In an envelope moistener, an inclined envelope table and a stop thereon adapted to support a stack of envelopes, with their flaps extended, aguideway, a. carriage vertically reciprocable on said guideway, a reservoir and a moistening device supported on said carriage, said moistening device shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the envelope flaps, a feed from said reservoir to said moistening device effective only when the moistening device is in operative position, and means whereby said moistening device may be tilted to drain it back into said reservoir when said carriage has passed the plane of the envelope support.

S. In an envelope moistener, an inclined envelope table adapted to support a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a guideway, a carriage vertically reciprocable on said guideway, a reservoir mounted on said carriage, a moistening device supported on said carriage, a feed from said reservoir to said moistening device when said moisten ing device is in operative position, and means whereby said moistening device may be drained back into said reservoir when said carriage has passed the plane of: the envelope support.

9. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps in extended position, a gravitating flap moistening device operative on top of said flaps so as to be supported thereby, a water reservoir operatively connected with said moistening device and means permitting a supply of water from said reservoir to said flap moistening device when the envelope inoistener is in use and automatically preventing such supply when the flap moistening device has passed beyond the plane of envelope support.

10. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps in extended position, a flap moistening device operative on top of said flaps so as to be supported thereby, and. a tilting gravitating water reservoir mounted upon said flap moistening device to automatically lower as the height of the stack is reduced by withdrawal of the moistened envelopes and automatically tilting to drain the water from the =flap moistening device when said device has passed beyond the plane of envelope support.

11. 111 an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps in extended position, a gravitating flap moistening device operative on top of said flaps so as to be supported thereby and automatically lowering as the height of the stack is reduced by withdrawal of the moistened envelope, and a water reservoir carried by and following the movements of said flap moistening device and means permitting a supply of water from said reser voir to said flap moistening device when the envelope moistener is in use and automatically draining the water from the flap moistening device when said device has passed beyond the plane of envelope support.

12. In an envelope moistener, an envelope table adapted to support a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a support for said flaps, a water reservoir, a gravitating flap moistener disposed above said flaps for sup-.

port on top of the uppermost flap in the stack, said flap moistener having a wick disposed in said reservoir, and said flap support being disposed out of line with the Wick so that the wick will not contact therewith when the flap moistener has passed the plane of envelope support.

13. In an envelope moistener, an envelope table adapted to support a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a support for said flaps, a water reservoir, a sliding and tilting flap moistener disposed above said flaps for support on top of th uppermost flap in the stack, and having a wick disposed in said reservoir, said flap moistener adapted to tilt when it has passed the plane of envelope support, said flap support being disposed out of line with the wick so that the Wick will not contact therewith when the flap moistener is titlted.

14. In an. envelopemoistener, an inclined envelope table adapted to support a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended and having a stop at its lower edge against which the edges of the envelopes abut with their flaps disposed therebeyond in substantially horizontal position, a support for said flaps, awater reservoir, a gravitating flap moistener disposed above said flaps for support on top of the uppermost [lap in the stack and having a wick disposed in said reservoir, said flap support being disposed out of line with the wick so that the wick will not contact therewith when the flap moistener has passed the plane of envelope support.

15. In an envelope and stamp moistener, an envelope table, a gravitating flap moistener disposed in operative relation to said envelope table and having a wick, a water reservoir supplying said wick, a stamp table carried by said flap moistener, and a wick overlying said stamp table and having one end disposed in said reservoir.

16. In an envelope and stamp moistener, an envelope table, a. gravitating flap moistener disposed in operative relation to said envelope table and having a wick, a water reservoir mounted to follow the movements of said flap moistener and supplying said wick, a stamp table disposed between said flap moistener and water reservoir, and a wick overlying said stamp table and having one end disposed in said reservoir.

17. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a gravitating moistening device operative on top of said flaps, a water reservoir mounted tofollow the movements of said moistening device, and a cup supplied from said reservoir and supplying said moistening device by capillary action.

18. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a gravitating wick element operative on top of said flaps, a water reservoir mounted to follow the movements of said wick element, and a cup carriedby said reservoir and supplied with water therefrom and supplying said element by capil lary action.

19. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with flaps extended, a tiltable gravitating wick element operative on top of said flaps, a tiltable water reservoir mounted to follow the movements of said wick element, and a cup carried by said reservoir and supplied with water therefrom and supplying said wick element by capillary action, said wick element being disposed substantially in line with the water level in said cup in all vertical positions of the reservoir, and said cup adapted to tilt rearwardly to drain said wick element when said wick element has passed the plane of envelope support.

20. In an envelope moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a tiltable gravitating wick element operative on top of said flaps, a tiltable water reservoir mounted to follow the movements of said wick element, a cup carried by said reservoir and supplied with water therefrom and a pipe connecting said cup and said wick element through which said wick element receives its supply of water by capillary action, said wick element being disposed substantially in line with the water level in said cup in all vertical positions of the reservoir, and said cup adapted to tilt rearwardly to drain the water back into said cup and away from said wick element when said wick element has passed the plane of envelope support.

21. In combination, a gravitating water reservoir, a stamp table mounted to follow the movements thereof, and a wick overlying said stamp table and having one end disposed in said reservoir.

22. In an envelope and stamp moistener, means for supporting a stack of envelopes with their flaps extended, a gravitating flap moistener having a wick operative on top of said flaps, a tiltable water reservoir mounted to follow the movements of said flap moistener, a cup carried by said reservoir and supplied with water therefrom and supplying said flap moistener wick by capillary action in all Vertical positions of thereservoir, said cup adapted to tilt rearwardly to drain the water back into the cup and away from the flap wick when said flap wick has passed the plane of envelope support, and a stamp table carried by said flap moistener and having a wick, one end of which is constantly disposed in said cup.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT ASTLEY. 

